Phillies Start Lefties vs Ohtani in NLDS

The Philadelphia Phillies, who clinched the NL East and a top-two National League seed, are scheduled to open the NLDS at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday with left-hander Cristopher Sanchez starting against Los Angeles two-way star Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani will make his first MLB postseason pitching start after returning to a starter's workload, finishing the regular season with a 2.87 ERA and a six-pitch arsenal that includes mid- to upper-90s velocity. Philadelphia plans a lefty-heavy approach — Sanchez followed by Ranger Suárez and Jesús Luzardo — to blunt the Dodgers' lineup, though Los Angeles has been strong versus left-handed pitching and will stack Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts atop the order. Key offensive X-factors for the Phillies include Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber, whose on-base and power production could swing the series. The Citizens Bank Park atmosphere is expected to be a factor, and Dodgers bullpen concerns persist even as Clayton Kershaw joins the roster.